Rural-delivery mail-box.



m. 694,229.- I Patented Fab. 25, |902.

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:RURALI DELIVERY mn. Box.

(Application ledv Agg. 30, 1901.) (m man.) 5 sheets-'sum1 rammed Fen. 25, |962.

W. L. VESTAL. RURAL' DELIVERY MAIL BOX. l (Application-le-Aug. 30, 1901..)v

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No. 694,2e9l

w. L. vEsTAL. RURAL DELIVERY 'MIL BOX.

(Application led Aug. 30, 19D1.')

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No. 694,2l9. Y Painted' Febyz'z', |902.

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RURAL DELIVERY MAIL BOX.

(Applicatuon led Aug. 30, 1901.)

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(No Model.)

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WARNER LOWDER VESTAL, OF SAN BERNAR-DINO, CALIFORNIA.

RURAL-DELIVERY MAIL-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 694,29, dated February 25, 1902. Application tiled August 30, 1901l Serial No. 73.855. (No model.)

To JZ 'whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WARNER LowDER-Vns,

TAL, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Bernardino, in the county of San Bernardino and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rural- Delivery Mail-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

A This invention' relates to new and useful improvements in rural-delivery mail-boxes; and the primary object thereof is to provide .a cheap, simple, and durable 'box provided .with a series of` individual compartiments, the doors of which may be control-led by a single set of levers, so that they may he simultaneously opened by the collector.

A further Objectis to provide' means whereby the doors may be separately and independently opened.

A further object is to provide an automatic time-indicating device for denoting the dierent periods of collection.

A still `further object is to provide a safety' attachment against any part of the box being incidentally left insecure.

Other objects, las well as the peculiary construction ofthe invention, Will be specifically described hereinafter and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of the mailbox constructed in accordance with my inven` tion. Fig. 2 is a front view of the same, parts being broken away and the doors being removed. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the portion of the casing illustrating the mail-receptacle. Fig. 4is a sectional view on the line 4 4, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a similarview on the line 5 5, Fig. 2. Fig. G isastillfurther section'on line G 6, Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a detail section of door-locks. Fig. 8 is alike view'of the springactuated hinge. Fig. 9 is a detail View of the bolt todock the door. Fig. 10is adetail view illusprating one of the strips of the indicating-heit. Fig. 1l is a detail view of the actuating-lever for said belt. Fig.12 isthe le- Fig. 13 is a fragmen-- tary View of the lock-actuating bar. Fig. 14 illugtrates a modified formvof the same, and

15 is a sectional view of the same. eferring now to the. drawings by numerals of reference, 1 designates a casing provided one of the independentl with a plurality of separate and independent compartments 2. These compartments are spaced apart by suitable partitions, and each compartment is normally closed by a door 3. In order to automatically open said door, I provide a spring 4, the ends of which abut against the hinge-plates. portion of the said spring is coiled around the pintle of the hinge, so that as soon as the lock is released the doors will be immediately swung open. Each door is closed by a lock 5, a separate and distinct key being used foreach compartment. However, from each lock-bolt projects a laterally-extending pin 5, which is' adapted tov be engaged si- -inultaneously by one of the longitudinallymoving operating-rods 6 or 7, which carry downwardly-projectinglugs or trips S to abut against the pin and withdraw the bolt from its strike at determined intervals.

In one end ofthe casing is a partitioned compartment 9, in which is arranged two pivoted elbow-levers l0 and 11, one above the other.

One arm of each of .these levers is provided with a weight 10, while at one of the other arms are connected link-rods l2, whereby the slidingrods 6 and 7 are operatively secured to said elbow-levers. A vertical connecting bar or rod 13 is also carried by the arms le of said levers 10 and 11,-and intermediate the ends of said rod 13 is an oliset er fiange which An intermediate may be grasped by the collector, and by pulling down on said; lever 13 the rods 6 and fwill be operated, so ast-o withdraw the bolts. As soon asv the connecting-rod 13 is released the Weights will throw the rods o and .7 back to tlleirnormal position, thus permitting the compartments to be closed. Each of these compartments is supposed to be used by individuals and are in the nature of deliveryboxes. Each individual will possess a key which will only tit the lock designed for his particular compartment. As the collector or delivery-carrier reaches the box he will open the doors 15 through the medium of a heyiitting in the lock 15b thereof, which deors are designed to protect the interior ofthe compartment 9.l By pressing on the rod`l3 all of thedoors will be opened, as above described, and any mail may be readily distributed into the various compartments 2.

v15 designates a door whiehgcaloses,tiievcomggz '694,219

partment i), and this door carries two laterally-projecting pins which rest under the I arms 14, so that any accidental displacement of the arms resulting in the doors being prematurely opened will be obviated. As one of the doors is opened the arms 16, secured to a .suitable base-plate 17 and fastened to the inside of said door, will be caused to operate the pivoted actuating-arm 1S, and thus rotate the endless belt 15) to successively cause the timecards 20 to appear adjacent the slot 21 in the opposite door to indicate the time the next collection will be made.. r)Chis arm 18 will ini termittently engage the respective slides on l5 which the time-cards are carried through the medium of aeleat 23, of which one is secured to each strip. Owing to the peculiar location 'peay d in the end of the box and is normally of the arms 1G and plates 17, this belt will be actuated each time the door 15 is opened and'l closed.

In the rear of the mechanism just described is the receiving-receptacle 25 of the box, having a receiving-chute 26 at the top thereof. T e pivoted door 27 of this receptacle is lois elink-bar 31, which is in engagement with said door.- To the other end o the lever 30 I secure a reciprocating plunger-lever 32, which projects through the receptacle containing the operating mechanism and bears against the edge oi the .door'15 when it is open. Should the collector fail to close the 'door of the receptacle 25, he would be reminded of his erro'r owing to the fact that the door 15 could not be closed until the door 27 was closed, thus withdrawing the plungerdever 32. .l Y 1 4The number of cards carried by the indicator will be in accordance with the number 'of collections 'made and allowed by the Post- Oice Department, and I therefore reserve the right to change the number to suit the requirements and convenience ol' the community in which the box is located. In the event that the indicator does not designate the ccrreet time for the next delivery the proper card may be brought adjacent the slot 21 by opening and closing the door 15 a sufficient number of times. l Ihave illustrated but eight individual compartments in the drawings; but it is obvious that any number might be made to. snit the requirements ot the special community without departing from the spirit of the invention. If desired, a suitable preaVeather Bureau report, a cloclrr, barometer, or thermometer without detracting from the appearance or affecting the operation of the device. As these elements, however, are all well known, I have thought best not to describe or illustrate them. I also reserve the right to make such slight changes and alterations as would suggest themselves from time to time wit-hout affecting the scope or departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- .I

1. 'In a device of the character described, the combination with a casing provided with a plurality of independent compartments normail y closed byspring-actuated doors, a lockcompartment arranged adjacent the firstnamed ones, rods slidably mounted in the compartments partitions, means mounted in the separate compartmenty for operating the said rods simultaneously, an indicator arranged in the separate compartment and a swinging door for said compartment carrying means for actuating the indicator.

2. In a device of the character. described, the combination'with a casing provided with a plurality of independent compartments, doors carried by the casing, one for each compartment, a separate compartment arranged in one end of the casing, longitudinally-moving rods provided with trips to release the said doors, levers pivotally mounted in the said separate compartment and having one oftheir ends connected to the said rods, a bar connecting the opposite ends of the levers, and arms projecting outwardly from the said levers and having weighted ends for returning the said rods to their normal positions. y

3. In adevice of the, character described, the combination with a casing provided with a plurality of independent compartments,

swinging rdoors normally closing said compartments, a second compartment arranged in said casing, means carried by the casing and controlled from the last-named compartment, whereby the swinging doors may be simultaneously released, a mail-receptacle in the rear of the second-named compartment, a door se cured thereto, a bell-cranklever pivoted within the said receptacle, a link-bar having one of its ends in engagementwith saidgdoor and `the other end pivotally connected to one end of the said lever, Aa plunger-lever connected to the other end of the said bellcranl-1 lever, said plunger-lever adapted to bear against the edge of the door ot' the said separate compartment when it is open. Y

4. In a device of the character described;

the combination with a casing provided with a plurality of independent compartments each normally closedby aspring-actuated swinging door, rmeans for independently releasing ,each door, longitudinally-moving rods pro- `vision maybe made on this box forattachmg vided with trips adapted to operate said locks Aing device carried by each door, a separate ICO IIO

IZO

torsimultaneously releasing said doors, a separate compartment from which the said rods may be operated, a door closing the same, and an indicator controlled by said door for denoting the time ot' collection.'

5. In a device of the character described, the combination with a casing provided with a plurality of independent compartments, swinging doors normallyelosing said com partments, a second compartment arranged in said casing, means carried by the casing and controlled from the last-named compartment whereby the swinging doors may be simultaneously released, av mail-receptacle in the rear of the second-named compartment, a door secured thereto and levers arranged in said casing so thatthe door in the second compartment cannot be closed unt-il the door in the maibreceptacle is closed.

G. In a device of the charactcrdescribed the combination with a casing provided with a i plurality ol' independent compartments nor- I mally closed by self-opening doors, a locking,r device carried by each door, a separate comt partment arranged adjacent to the firstnamed ones, rods slidably mounted in said independent compartments partitions, and means mounted in the separate compartment for operating the said rods simultaneously.

7. In a device oi' the character described, the combination with a casing provided with a plurality of independent compartments, each normally closed by a swinging door, of a sccond compartment arranged 'in said casing, means within the last-named compartment for releasing the swinging doors, and a mailreceptacle in the rear of theseeond-named compartment and normally closed by a door.

8. In a device of the character described, the'combination with a casing provided with a plurality of independent compartments, swingingdoors normally closing said compart -compartment for ments, a second compartment arranged in said easing, means within the last named releasing the swinging doors, a mail-receptacle in the rear of the second-named compartment and normally closed by a swinging door, and means for preventing the closing et the door ot' the second compartment until the door of the mail-'receptacle is closed.

9. In a device ofthe character described, the combination of a casing divided into a plurality of independent compartments, of spring-actuated doors carried by said easing, one for each compartment, a locking device carried by each door for normally holdingr it closed, and each adapted to be unlocked tron: the exterior separately, a second compartment arranged in said casing, and means located in said second compartment tor unlocking all ot the doors simultaneously.

10. In a device of the character described, the combination of a casing provided with a plurality o1" independent compartment-s, cach normally closed by a door, a separate compartment arranged adjacent the iirstlnamed compartments, a swinging door for the said compartment, an indicator arranged in the last-named compartment, and comprising an endless belt, cleats on the endless belt, a lever pivotally mounted adjacent to the said belt and adapted to engage the said cleats, and a pair efrarms arranged one above the other and rigidly secured tol the door of the last-- named compartment and adapted to actuate the said lever.

ln testimony whereof l aix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WARNER LOWDER VESTAL. lVitn'esses:

Sir/rn ltlnnsuALL, linwann Armeens. 

